icon Blueprint for April

Staying Ahead of the Curve

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3 min read

Early in the 1980s, when I was earning my keep as a freelance journalist, my brother Peter asked if I would write a newsletter for a fairly new organization he was managing called the National Housing & Rehabilitation Association.  The assignment came with a great perk—attending the organization’s conference on Martha’s Vineyard.  It was there that I first had the privilege of observing  the creativity in strategic financial thinking that (IMHO) has characterized NH&RA throughout its history.

As I moved on to other career choices, I continued to observe Peter’s colleagues and I was continually impressed as they faced all kinds of obstacles (the Savings and Loan crisis, the economic impact of skyrocketing gas prices, recessions) and yet continued to find the means to build affordable housing.

That newsletter eventually evolved into this magazine and in February, more than 30 years since I first attended a NH&RA conference, I sat in the conference room in Key Largo at the Annual Meeting and once again found myself repeatedly impressed with both the rush of new ideas discussed on the panels and the

openness with which members shared strategic thinking.

In this issue, we get to share some of the new ideas circulating in the tax credit ether. Senior housing developers and operators always seem to be looking for services that will keep their residents satisfied and their units full and recently,

partially as a response to the Affordable Care Act, we hear about more and more of them bringing healthcare into their facilities.  This is not, obviously, inexpensive and in affordable senior housing, management has had to figure out methods to finance this honorable mission. So we sent staff writer Mark Olshaker out to talk with some of the companies who have successfully implemented in-building care. (Keeping Seniors Healthy (and Happy) in Affordable Housing, p. 14).

Highlights of NH&RA conferences include the opportunity to speak face-to-face with officials who shape policy and in Key Largo, Shane Smith of Freddie Mac and Angela Kelcher of Fannie Mae each presented new loan programs to help lower the costs of affordable housing development. In Lowering the Cost of Financing (p. 20), Joel L. Swerdlow provides the motivation behind and methodology of each program.

Lauren Anderson, NH&RA’s new Communications Manager, attended her first conference at Key Largo, and on page 24 you will find her thoughtful reporting on new public/private development opportunities  inspired by an all-day seminar devoted to Public Housing (Partnering with Housing Authorities).

Other new ideas highlighted in this issue include NH&RA Executive Director Thom Amdur’s column on an association initiative to develop the next generation of leadership (p. 5) and our guru David A. Smith’s column on pumping some life into rural affordable housing development in an era obsessed with urbanization (p. 38).

In stark contrast to all this new, immediately following the Annual Meeting,

a delegation of NH&RA members flew from Miami to Havana to learn about restoration of the 400 year-old city that was frozen in time in 1959, a very different experience we also want to share with you. (Our Team in Havana, p. 6.)

Diviertele! (Enjoy yourself.)